Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sunday Carp Fishing

Aquilla Tailrace

It's not always possible, but I like to shoot, ride or fish after Sunday's Masses. If I lived in a city, like London, or even Dallas, things might be different, but here in the country it makes sense to get out and enjoy yourself in a field sports kind of way. At least it does to me.

Shooting Bag

With that in mind I decided to go carp fishing at lake Aquilla's tailrace; I knew the carp were there because I've seen them, lots of them, gliding like submarines under the water and scooting along the banks of the channel. No doubt about it, sure as you can say "Jihadi Savages" or "Pelosianite Space Creature," you can say for a surety that carp are there in that water.

Relax

I rigged up a couple of rods and to European carp experts my setup will seem childishly crude: 2 Shakespeare Ugly Sticks, one a baitcaster, the other a spinner, each with 12 lb mono ending in a barrel swivel, followed by a braid leader and a #10 treble hook. No weight. The idea behind the weightless rig being that it won't spook the cautious carp, likewise with the small hook and braid leader. Nothing fancy for bait, just corn loaded onto the hooks.

Carp Action!

Did the rig work? Sure enough, as the sun began to set and the fish started to jump, one of the lines went tight, the drag opened up and there was a carp on the hook. It was a good fight, not as aggressively scrappy as some Bass but still, plenty of go. I put it back, which some people don't do because they think carp are "trash fish." I'm against that; they can be eaten and they make good game fish, apart from anything else, so let the creature go to live and fight again another day.

Heading for Home

Soon it was getting dark and I headed for home, well satisfied with the carp result and an evening by the water.